Contents elevator for containers



Dec. 1, 1942, L.. BIGGS 2,303,426

v l coN'rENTsELEvAToR Fon oNTAINERs Filed Aug,l 1o, 1940 Patented Dec. 1, 1942 UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE i CONTENTS ELEVATOR FOB CONTAINERSv Llewellyn Biggs, Leonia, N. J. Application August 10,771940 ,"Serial No. 352,151

3 Claims.

An object of the invention is to provide such,l

an elevator tape attachment for raising the unused portion of tobacco to a convenient level for removal of the contents by the consumer.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for engagement between the tape and the container body whereby the tape may be held in a position at which it supports the contents at a desired elevation.

Still another object is to provide the tape with a permanently tacky adhesive as the means for maintaining it in arcontents-elevating position so that the adhering end of the tape may be readily Aremoved from one elevating position and reattached at another position on a container wall.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a transparent elevator tape of this character so that lithographed or printed matter on the container wall may not be hidden by the tape.

Many otherobjects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an open hingecover, pocket-size, tobacco container in which a preferred form of my invention is embodied.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 but with the cover in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a modified form of the tape shown removed from a container, but in the shape it would assume if in the container.

Fig. 4 illustrates another modification.

Fig. 5 shows a. modiiication of Fig. 4.

Convenience of access to the contents of a container is of prime importance to the consumer and must, therefore, be at least equally important to the manufacturer and vendor who are interested in the sale of such containers and their contents. Probably the best illustration of such convenience to the consumer is by Way of a, pocket-size tobacco box and for this reason I have chosen it wherewith to show the novelty and usefulness of my invention. In the ordinary package of this type, the consumer nds increasing diicultyof access to the contents as tobaccois removed'for use. v- This is so because the'level gradually recedes from the effective reach of a finger into the box. l

I am aware of many Aattempts to solve this problem but do not believe that anyrprior device is as satisfactory from the point of view of the manufacturer or consumer as is my present invention which is quite inexpensive, highly efcient and extremely simple in operation.

Throughout the following detailed description of my invention, the same numerals or letters will be used to designate like figures or parts.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral I I designates the deep container, a pocketsize tobacco box, having a cover I2 hinged at I3 to the body of the box, and enclosing a paper envelope or bag I4 which contains the granulated tobacc'o or other dispensabie material. The elevator tape for raising the bag is designated generally by the numeral I 5 and comprises, principally, an envelopeor bag-engaging end I6 and a box-engaging end Il with an intervening strip portion I8 which passes upwardly from end I6 between the outer wall of bag I t and an inner wall ofl box II, and thence outwardly of the box to unite with end II. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, end I6 is xed to the lower end of the envelope I4 and end II engages the outer surface I9 of a front wall of the box II.

T he tape may comprise a strip of paper, Cellophane, or other exible and preferably transparent material attached at end I6 on its obverse side to the envelope or on its reverse side to an inner wall of the box, as shown in dotted lines at 20 in Fig. 2, to form a sling for the bag; by an adhesive 2| or other suitable means, and having, on the reverse side of the tape, an adhesive coated surface 22 at the end Il adapted to engage the surface I9 of the box II either permanently or temporarily depending upon the nature of the adhesive. However, I prefer to use an adhesive on both ends which is permanently tacky, such as a rubber latex, compounded with resin and a suitable plasticizer, vwhich adhesive is well known in the art. v

At the extremity 23 of the tape end I'I I provide a nger-hold which may be an uncoated portion on the box-engaging side such as at '25 in Fig. 4, or, as shown in Figs. i, 2, 3 and 5, a small tab 2E, of paper or the like, may be placed over a short length of the adhesive coating at that extremity, a free portion, 2, of the tab being allowed to extend beyond the end of the tape proper. Such a, finger-hold enables the consumer to grasp and remove easily the end I'I from the box surface prior to each use of the elevator tape.

With the tab between his fingers, and the box cover in raised position, the operator may pull the tape to raise the tobacco in the enevlope il! to a desired level and then reapply the adhesivecoated surface 22 at the end I1 to a lower position on the surface I9 of the box. A slight pressure upon the end of the tape will secure it with sucient tenacity to support the tobacco envelope at its new elevation, such as that shown at 28 in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The excess top portion of the bag may then be torn away or folded inwardly, and the container closed again.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of the elevator tape. In this instance, the construction of the elevator tape l varies from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 only in that it is built up from two strips, an upper length 30 and a lower length 3|, each coated throughout on one side with permanently tacky adhesive 32 and placed in over` lapping relation so that the adhesive surfaces are in contact over a considerable portion of their lengths. In this construction I still provide an envelope-engaging adhesive surface 21 and an adhesive box-engaging surface 22 at the end l1 which is also provided with a linger-hold tab 26. One advantage in this construction is the ease with which it may be made from the continuously coated cellulose strip material now in common use and sometimes sold under the trade name of Scotch tape. Another advantage lies in the doubling of the plies along that portion of the elevator tape which passes overthe edge 33 of the mouth of the box, (see Figs. 1 and 2). The extra ply provides added protection against tearing along this edge.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a single-ply tape 35vcoated throughout its length with an adhesive 32 on one side only. An obvious advantage in this construction is that it may be made from less of the same material used in the construction shown in Fig. 3. However, these continuous one-ply constructions require modification of the end I1 to provide a box-engaging adhesive surface 22 such as shown in the Figs. 4 and 5. 4In Fig. 4 the end I1 terminates in a fold 36 which divides the tape length into a short arm 31 and a long arm 38. Adjacent fold 36, the long arm' 38 is provided with an aperture 35i.k The imperforate short arm 31 is reversely folded, back over the apertured portionso that a limited area 'of the I adhesive surface of the imperforate short arm 31 may be projected through the aperture 39 and pressed against the surface I9 of the box to serve as a box-engaging surface-22 as in the previously described constructions. I might add that I do not intend to limit the length of the imperforate short arm 31 to that shown-in full lines in Fig. 4,"but may carry it back` over the adhesive surface 32 of the under layer to a point within the box Il such as at 4|, and thereby attain the advantage ofk a double ply over the edge 33 of the mouth of the box, similar to the construction shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows the single-ply tape of Fig. llwith the end I1 folded over at right angles and upon itself to provide a laterally extending portion 42 which engages the box surface Hl` along an adhesive surface 22 to which is attached a fingerholdA tab 26.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will beA understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may. be made in the form, construction and :arrangement of the parts without departing from theA spirit and Cil scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A contents elevator comprising a lower and an upper length of tape overlapped for a portion of their lengths and attached to each other within said overlapping lengths, a lower length projecting section beyond one end of said overlapping portion, an upper length projecting section beyond the other end of said overlapping portion and a permanently tacky adhesive coating on one side of said upper length projecting section, said' elevator being adapted to be used with a deep container having an opening, and a contents-holding bag within said container, said lower length projecting section being attached to a lower portion of said bag, said overlapping portion extending upwardly from said attachment to said bag, between contiguous areas of said container and said bag, thence outwardly over an edge of said container opening and downwardly over the outer surface of said container, said adhesive coating on said upper length projecting section being removably attached to said container outer surface, whereby the elevation within said container of said bag may be varied.

2. A contents elevator comprising a lower and an upper length of tape, each coated on one side with a permanently tacky adhesive and overlapped for a portion of their lengths, adhesive sides in contact, and thereby attached to each other throughout said overlapped portion, a lower length projecting section beyond one end of said overlapping portion presenting an. obverse adhesive-coated side of said tape, and an upper length projecting section beyond the other end of said overlapping portion presenting a reverse, adhesive-coated side of said tape, said elevator being adaptable to be used with a deep container having an opening, and a contents-holding bag within said container, said lower length projecting section being attached by means of said obverse adhesive coating to a lower portion of said bag, said overlapping portion extending upwardly from said attachment to said bag, be-

with a permanently tacky adhesive and over;

lapped for a portion of their lengths, adhesive sides in contact, and thereby attached to each other throughout saidr overlapped portions, a lower length projecting section beyond one end of said overlapping portion presenting an obverse adhesive-coated side of said tape, an upper length projecting section beyond the other end of said overlapping portion presenting a reverse adhesive-coated side of said tape, and a nger hold at the extremity of said upper length projecting section, said elevator being adapted to be used with a deep container having an opening, and a contents-holding bag within said containei; said lower length projecting section being attached by means of said obverse adhesive coating to a lower portion of said bag, said overlapping portion extending upwardly from said iinger hold serving as a grip to facilitate removal or attachment of said reverse adhesive coating on said container outer surface, whereby the elevation within said container of said bag may be Varied.

LLE'WELLYN BIGGS. 

